Four months ago, ultrarunner Karel Sabbe completed one of the toughest ultra runs in the world, but in the meantime, he is ready for a new challenge. Earlier this week Sabbe started on the Pacific Crest Trail, which he plans to complete in just under 50 days. He will have to run 85 to 90 kilometres a day and hopes to set a new world record in the process.
Ultrarunner Karel Sabbe on new record hunt, hopes to cover 4,300 kilometres’ Pacific Crest Trail in 50 days
Colin Clapson
Published:
West Flemish dentist Karel Sabbe was relatively unknown until March, but after his participation in the Barkley Marathon in Tennessee, he became Belgium’s most famous ultrarunner. Ultrarunners cover distances longer than a marathon. Sabbe ran 160 kilometres in less than 60 hours - 59 hours and 53 minutes to be precise - making him the 17th person ever to finish within this time limit.
"The Barkley Marathon was without doubt the most extreme thing I will and can ever do," Sabbe acknowledges. "It was quite a puzzle to combine physical strength, mental resilience and finding your route using map and compass. It took me several years, but this year I finally succeeded."
After a performance like that, you take a break, you might think. But that’s not a word in Sabbe's dictionary. "I admit, the first weeks, mentally, I had a hard time running again, it took me a while to enjoy it again."
It’s a pleasure that has now returned.
The Pacific Crest Trail is a hiking trail along the west coast of the United States. From the border of Mexico to the border with Canada, it covers 4,300 kilometres. It crosses 25 national forests, seven national parks and the elevation gain is about 4,000 metres. Sabbe will not be hiking the trail, but running it for the second time.
The first time in 2016, the trail took him 52 days that gave him a world record. The record was broken in 2021 by someone who took 51 days and a few hours. Sabbe now wants to prove he can do even better and wants to cover the 4,300 kilometres again, but even faster this time.
"To achieve this, I will have to cover between 85 and 90 kilometres a day. I hope to arrive at the Canadian border after about 50 days," Sabbe says. He has mapped out his route himself and thinks it is achievable. "This is different from not sleeping for 60 hours, here I can plan everything better."
Music brings calm
What can help the ultrarunner in his adventure is music. During his training, he doesn't need the music that much. "In training I use running to unwind," Sabbe told VRT. "The first hour I mull over work a bit and afterwards I can let go of everything for a while without listening to anything."
During the ultrarun, things are different and he enjoys different types of music. "When I start on an adventure like the Pacific Crest Trail, I'm still mulling over what lies ahead and I unwind with classical music. At the start of a short night, music plays another role. Then it can provide calm, acceptance and concentration. Music really makes me stay the course."